The National Wheat Foundation and Maryland wheat grower Eric Spates hosted an educational wheat farm tour for congressional staff on June 28. Congressional staff who attended the event toured the farm, saw wheat being harvested and listened to speakers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency on risk management, conservation, pesticide programs and environmental issues.
“Educating people about wheat and farming is one of the Foundation’s main goals, and to have a real farm during wheat harvest for a classroom is a great benefit,” said Bernard Peterson, Kentucky farmer and Vice Chairman of the National Wheat Foundation.
“I am thankful for the attendees who came out yesterday to learn about wheat,” said Eric Spates, who serves as a Board member on several state and national farm organizations including the National Association of Wheat Growers, Maryland Grain Producers Association, Montgomery County Farm Bureau, Montgomery County Weed Control and Edward B. Byrd Charitable Foundation. “It is very important that everyone understands the complex issues that impact farmers daily and how that can effect our food.”
The tour’s objectives included strengthening participants’ appreciation for the complicated nature of farming, showing participants firsthand, the careful stewardship of the land, water, soil, air uses and other natural resources that are vitally important to the farm’s success.
